Count Bassy

[quote name='paulconnolly' timestamp='1322247645' post='1448669'] Can I ask: How much do these cost? When you say moulded are they a "one size fits all" or specifically moulded to your ear shape like a hearing aid mould? If specifically moulded who does it and where do you go to get it done? [/quote] These were £120, and are the ones custom moulded to your ear. Bought the plugs off the net, you register them on line and they direct you to a local audiologist to get the impressions made. In my case the audiologist was a Scrivens (the opticians) in Rugby. Impressions etc. are all included in the original purchase price.

NOTE: Just checked and the choice is actually 17 or 24dB (rather than 22dB). Apart from that the question remains the same

NOTE: Just checked and the choice is actually 17 or 24dB. Apart form that the question remains the same I've bought some pro-guard moulded ear plugs. Impressions all done and ready to send off, so the question is Green (17dB) or Red (22dB) filters. My son (a drummer) has the 22dB ones and says that you can still hear everything fine, and still hold conversations, so why wouldn't you go for those. Spoke the the bloke at Proguard who said that the 17dB ones are generally enough. Being a bass player I do spend quite a bit of time stood next to the drums, and the drummer in one of my current bands is particularly loud. So which would the collective wisdom of Bass Chat recommend? Thanks in advance, The Count.

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1321464483' post='1439537'] Sorry but this flow chart is nonsense. What's gigging got to do with anything? Chop off the bottom few boxes and it'll be spot on. [/quote] Especially the box that says 'You've probably got enough' Replace it with 'what the hell' and an arrow pointing to 'buy more guitars'

I.e. somewhere where I can actually try one out? I don't mind paying a few extra quid over the on-line price for the privilege. I'm in Daventry, so anywhere in a 50 mile radius would do, which includes Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Milton Keynes etc. Don't really want to be bothered with central London as I'd want to take my basses to try through it, so want to be able to park somewhere close. Any ideas ? Thanks The Count PS. Just realised that you have to be careful typing 'Count'!

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1320494242' post='1427509'] did you have it insured? [/quote] He did have it insured, but I suspect it won't cover theft from a 'non-secure' place (i.e. a gig), you know what these insurance companies are like. Understandably he's gutted.

Just a pointer to another thread in the Basses forums that I've started. Went missing in Northampton last night. Decided to put a pointer to that thread here as well as I suspect that it will get seen more. Thanks.

A black 4string Mexican Fender Jazz complete with Gig bag went missing from the back room of 'The Racehorse' in Northampton last night. Somewhere between 10.30 and 11pm. This belonged to the bassist in my son's band, who were playing at a multi band gig there. It is possible that one of the other bands picked it up by accident, E-mails have been sent to them all, but no replies received yet. Hopefully this was a mistake and it will be returned, but it is possible that it was actually stolen. It's a bit battered and has a white rectangle stuck on the upper horn. I will try and find photo's of it and should have the serial number soon. Local shops have been informed and E-bay will be watched, but if anyone should come across something like this for sale in odd circumstances please be wary, and/or let me know. Thanks in advance, EDITED: Here's a picture. Of course the White rectangle is probably easily removed. From the multicoloured 'Balls' I guess they're D'addario strings.

[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1320063399' post='1421688'] No experience with that although i have seen it mentioned a few times. There have been a few threads similar to this, might be worth doing a search and see what others use/think. [/quote] Dave, I've just done that search and find that I was asking the same question 3 years ago!, when I ended up buying the MP-BT1. The GTR1 was around then it seems, but was £265 at the time - twice the price of the MP-BT1. The GTR-1 can now be got for £160 via Amazon! Clive Edited to say - actually £190 seems to be more typical for the GTR-1, though some are on Amazon at £160

Thanks for your thoughts so far chaps. Just come across the Tascam GTR1. Seems to be like a MB-BT1, but with a basic drum machine built in as well (and recording and other stuff I don't specifically need), for around £160. Has anybody any experience of these?

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1320016904' post='1421414'] iPhone? There's many apps for it that have stonking sounds. if you don't need midi, then could be what you need. [/quote] Thanks for the prompt reply. I don't have an I phone, or know anything about them. Could I plug then bass in and have the drums and bass in the headphones?

As per my other post on drum machines, I've broken my vow of silence, so the pent up questions of the last 3 months are all coming together! My trusty old Marshall B65 practice amp has given up which means I can look around for something else with a clear conscience, especially as I am now rehearsing with a band again. I'm looking for something lightweight and portable, which would need to do practices and possibly smaller/quieter gigs (with extension cab if required). Things that spring to mind are: Ibanez Promethean P5110 at £450 ish Ibanez Promethean P5210 at £670 ish Probably abit outside my range Roland Cube 100 £325 ish. Discontinued, but still available Roland Cube 120XL £440 ish (worth the extra over the Cube 100??) [b] [size=4]TC Electronic BG500 210 £580 ish (the TC COMBO 450 is just too expensive)[/size][/b] I am an amateur and always will be, and am an OK player, but not spectacularly good, so I've got keep it real in terms of cost. For this reason I naturally lean towards the single speaker Promethean or one of the Roland cubes, and second hand is always an attractive option. Sound wise I tend to go for 'middy', but like a rich bass on occasions. I don't slap so probably don't need Hi-Fi treble response, and I generally have the treble tailing off a bit. MY main rig is a Marshall DBS7400 into a Musicman HD212 (2 x 12" + 1 x 8"), which I like the sound of very much. Any opinions on the above, or other suggestions, would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance. Clive

Having broken my vow of silence (I lasted three months) I thought I might as well pick the collective brains of Bass Chat. I have a Tascam Bass Trainer (MP-BT1), which is great, but it doesn't have any sort of drum machine beyond a basic metronome (useful but dull). I'm therefore on the look out for something which includes a drum machine/patterns. Doesn't need to be too sophisticated or programmable, just needs to knock out a range of basic patterns, but does need to portable and operate without a PC. Sort of thing I'm looking for is the Korg Pandora, or other manufacturer's equivalents. Most of these seem to have no/very limited MP3 'play along facility (as per the Tascam) so I'd probably end up with two devices in my case! I don't really need to record anything, and have little use for effects. Also, regarding the Pandora, I can still get a Pandora 4 for £99, whereas the '5' is more like £190. Obviously the 5 does more, but is it worth almost twice as much? Should I be considering the Pandora Micro? Anyone out there got any experience of such things and able to give me words of wisdom? Thanks in advance, Clive

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1319787030' post='1418498'] Anyway welcome back but why did you go and exhile yourself? [/quote] Nothing sinister, just found I was spending far too much time on here instead of playing my bass!!, and to be honest dropping out (of posting only - not reading) did give me a load of time back. [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1319822110' post='1419060'] Wecome back Did you ever get that Leicester band thing sorted out? Or have you got a new proj. under way? [/quote] Well remembered Skank! I did get it sorted out in that I told them how I was feeling about the distance and a few of the other problems I was having (sound quality at rehearsals etc - purely acoustics - not a problem with the playing) and said that I'd understand if, given that, they found another bass player, which they did. All reasonably amicable, although I'd say it all in a conversation rather than by E-mail next time. E-mails have no subtlety. After a few unsuccessful auditions I started to wonder if I had been a bit hasty, but I've now found something else which looks promising, about 20 minutes away, so it all worked out OK eventually. The count.

Hello again, If I am right then a remarkable coincidence has caused me to break my self imposed exile ( have been lurking but not posting for about 6 months) Anyway, I seem to recall someone posting a photograph of a a car reg 'BA55 STU' several months ago. I only followed that very registration tonight, north bound on the M25 from the queue for the Dartford tunnel to the end of the road works (10 - 15 miles in all!). Wow (or nor if I'm wrong) The count

I am a mature (i.e. 54) Rock/Blues/Soul bassist looking to join or form local(ish) band (eg. within 25ish miles of Daventry), for regular gigging and fun. I’ve been playing bass seriously for about 4 years, and would class myself as competent and reliable, but not flash (- no slapping!). If you are looking for someone who has a repertoire of hundreds of songs, or can reproduce a bass line after one listen, or wants to play more than an occasional modern pop song, then I’m probably not for you. However, if you’re after someone who will work hard to learn new material, and make a full contribution to the band, then I might be the one you’re looking for. I have played with a couple of bands doing a variety of Classic Rock, both old time and newer blues, and old time R&B (E.g. Free, purple, Hendrix, BB king, Freddy King, Ben E King, Kinks, George Thorogood, T-Bone walker, Dr Feelgood, Fleetwood Mac, Robert Palmer, SRV, etc). I love this stuff, but am up for anything vaguely in the same vein. Reasonable gear and own transport

Personally, even though its a flight case, I would put a couple of layers of bubble wrap around it at least. It would be a real shame if it turned up with a huge scratch on it, even if it didn't affect the function at all. The couriers will throw this around far more than a roady would. Also depends on the flight case of course. There are flight cases and 'flight cases'.

Isn't some of the problem simply that you just can't hear yourself properly. Your blocking out a major aural input (Mouth to ear via the air) while flooding the remaining one (Bone transmission) with the sound track. I know at one singer who wears earplugs (wisely), but if there is then no foldback he goes a bit flat. No earplugs or earplugs + foldback and he's fine. Edited to add: I can generally sign very in tune, but if I'm singing along at a concert where I can't hear myself well, or just through the bone then I know go out of tune (I've heard it and it's not pretty).

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1319797' date='Jul 28 2011, 09:51 PM'][/quote] Oh yes.

Pete Stroud And I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned Boz Burrel. Possibly not the best technically, but very inspirational in showing that fretless bass can be used in rock songs without a load of fret(less) w***ery bollocks. Off topic edit : I still think it great that I can't say the W word above, but I can say 'Twat'.

[quote name='Johnston' post='1318805' date='Jul 27 2011, 10:40 PM'][url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=144326&hl=buttery"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...&hl=buttery[/url][/quote] So it's been seen before. Still funny though so thanks to the OP for posting it again.

[quote name='spinynorman' post='1318318' date='Jul 27 2011, 02:46 PM']I have 2 Rippers. I find them well balanced and the necks are delightful to play. Then there's the electronics. The controls are all attached to the pickguard, as are the pickups in the '78. And there is an earth wire from one of the pots to the bridge. So, to work on the wiring you have remove, or at least loosen, the strings, remove the entire pickguard, unsolder the earth, and on the '75 either unscrew or unsolder the pickups.[/quote] I actually have some sympathy with Gibson and other builders on this. They build the guitar on the basis that the electronics work and will not [b]need[/b] to be dismantled, at least until the pots are worn out (which should be a long time). They do not build them with the thought that someone will want to modify or upgrade their design.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1312726' date='Jul 22 2011, 01:53 PM']If it's done wrong you can certainly muck up the overall capacitance of the bass which will do horrid things to the sound. But done correctly and with attention to detail there's no reason not to shield out the entire bass. I'm sure I've posted these before but here are a couple of mine.... [/quote] Just curious as to why you didn't do the sides of the control cavity in the top photo?

I know that some people on here slag off Bill Wyman as a bass player, but I saw him and the Rhythm kings at the Bury St Edmunds AbbeyFest last night and it was a cracking show, and that includes Mr Wyman himself. Not flash, possibly not even adventurous, but (IMHO) exactly what the music needed, which is what makes a good bassist (IMHO again).

Don't want to teach granny etc, but treat Nitromoors with respect. A bit on the hands/arms only takes 15 seconds or so before you feel it, so you really don't want this stuff in your eyes. Wear safety specs!